5 Tips for Commuting to Work with Your Thanksgiving Potluck Contribution

Office Thanksgiving is a great time to see your boss loosen up, catch up on gossip, and show off your sweet cooking skills! But first you've got to get your dish there — in one piece!

Here are five tips for commuting to work with your Thanksgiving potluck contribution.

1. Maintain the temperature.

You probably won't have access to an oven to heat up your dish, and the office fridge may be too full for cool dishes, so plan to leave home with your dish at serving temperature, and then keep it that way. Wrap your food in a few layers of dish towels, then stick the whole thing inside an insulated bag or cooler. I save those insulating bags from Blue Apron for this kind of thing, but you can find cheapie ones at the grocery store, too.

2. Tote it carefully.

You can't carry a casserole in your arms for 10 blocks and two crowded subway transfers! You need a tote with long handles (to get over your shoulder or easily pick it up from between your feet) and a flat bottom. I'm partial to the canvas L.L. Bean totes. If you don't have a bag with a flat bottom, create one by placing a cookie sheet on the bottom of a large bag, then placing your dish on top of it. Stuff any empty space with dish towels so it doesn't shift around.

3. Or put it on the floor.

Driving to work? Once again, you want the flattest possible space (like the floor of the back seat or the trunk) and to make sure it's not going to shift around. Tuck your purse, your reusable grocery bags, and whatever else you have on hand around the dish so it doesn't slide. Consider putting it on a silicone baking mat first to give it some traction if your car floor is carpeted.

4. Bring serving utensils.

Do you really want to use that one random serving spoon in the office utensil drawer? Yeah … no. Bring all the tools you need to cut or serve your contribution so you're not stuck trying to dole out stuffing with a pencil and a Post-It note.

5. Don't forget to bring a plastic bag.

You may be able to give it a rinse, but you probably won't be able to get your dish fully clean in the office kitchen, so expect to bring it home dirty. Pack a plastic bag or two to wrap your dish and just worry about washing it once you get home.